GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- The Bates women's rowing team finished national runner-up and the first varsity eight earned a silver medal at the 2026 NCAA Championships, held Friday at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
It's the best finish at NCAAs for the Bobcats since 2022 and the best showing by the 1V since 2021.
"I could not be prouder of this group," head coach
Peter Steenstra said. "What they have done as a team this year is meaningful. They have continued the work needed to bring Bates back to the national stage."
Tufts won both grand finals on Friday to secure their third straight national title with 56 points. But the battle for second place in the points standings proved to be a tight one. The Bobcats tallied 45 points as a team, one more than third-place William Smith, two more than fourth-place Trinity, and three more than fifth-place Williams.
Led by sophomore coxswain
Shoshana Levy (Arlington, Va.) and junior stroke seat
Charlotte Comrack (Washington, D.C.), the second varsity eight raced to the finish of their grand final in 6:50.064. That time was good for fifth place and eight points, as the Bobcats finished ahead of Wellesley (6:51.714).
The 2V has dealt with injuries this year, and Friday was no exception. Due to an injury, sophomore
Olivia Hill (Boston) stepped into the five seat for the grand final after she came to NCAAs as an alternate. Hill did not race in Friday's heats before she got the call to enter the 2V when it mattered the most.
"This was the coolest experience of my life," Hill said. "I was just soaking it all in at the starting line. I have so much love for my teammates!"
The first varsity eight took to the water after the 2V and the Bobcats took second place, scoring 37 points and earning a silver medal. Led by sophomore coxswain
Leah Brody (Larchmont, N.Y.) and sophomore stroke seat
Virginia Adams (Hanover, N.H.), Bates crossed the finish line in 6:31.572. They held off an impressive William Smith crew that took third in 6:32.360 and rolled over the likes of Trinity (6:37.098), Williams (6:37.170), and Wellesley (6:40.216).
Friday's results mark the eighth time in program history that Bates has finished national runner-up. The Bobcats are five-time national champions as well and it marks the 17th time in the 18 years Bates has qualified for NCAAs that the Bobcats have finished in the top four in the country as a team.
Bates NCAA Championships Grand Finals Lineups:
Bates WV8 lineup: Bow:
Hannah de Fontaine; 2:
Greta Oberdiek; 3:
Isabelle Martin; 4:
Megan O'Donnell; 5:
Quinn Gleason; 6:
Maggie Gill; 7:
Olivia Smith; Stroke:
Virginia Adams; c:
Leah Brody
Bates W2V8 lineup: Bow:
Mia Senturk; 2:
Merrill Doherty; 3:
Adina Suchman; 4:
Froney Dreher; 5:
Olivia Hill (alternate); 6:
Fili Keszti; 7:
Ava Teleki; Stroke:
Charlotte Comrack; c:
Shoshana Levy
Alternate: Cal Dagner
Alternate coxswain: Sophie Shaw
Injured (2V): Kiki Hillery
Team Manager: Arden Minor
